The 'Heart' of Rome's Colosseum Opens to Visitors
2021-07-03
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1"The beating heart of Rome is not the marble of the Senate, it's the sand of the Colosseum," the Roman senator Gracchus said in the 2000 Oscar-winning movie Gladiator.
2The Colosseum is an ancient structure built more than 2000 years ago.
3The Romans used the huge, rounded building as a performance space.
4Thousands of people could be seated in the open-air theater to watch a show or public activity.
5Performances included competitions by professional fighters, called gladiators, most of whom were enslaved.
6They often fought other gladiators but also could face prisoners or dangerous animals, like lions. Executions also took place there.
7The Colosseum is the largest building that the Roman Empire produced.
8It is also Italy's most popular ancient structure.
9More than 7.6 million people visited the Colosseum in 2019.
10But its own beating heart is the underground passages and rooms where prisoners, animals and gladiators waited to enter the field above their heads.
11Now, that underground area, known as the hypogeum, is open to the public after lengthy repairs.
12More than 80 archaeologists, architects and engineers worked on the 15,000 square-meter area for two years.
13Tod's, the Italian clothing company, supported the work.
14Its chairman, Diego Della Valle said the effort aimed to "bring back to the center of the attention a monument that the whole world loves."
15The theater's balconies used to hold up to 70,000 people who would come to watch the gladiator fights, executions and animal hunts.
16Before the hypogeum was built, the space could also be filled with water to re-enact sea battles.
17Now a new 160 meter walkway permits visitors to see the hypogeum.
18It is the second part of a three-part process that started eight years ago, with Tod's promise of $30 million to pay for the project.
19Tod's is also supporting several similar projects in the country.
20"It is...important for relevant companies to make themselves available to the country, understanding what they can do for the country," Della Valle said.
21"This is about important pieces for Italy, monuments that are well-known all over the world," he added.
22The first part of the project included cleaning the outside walls of the Colosseum.
23That was completed in 2016.
24The final part includes renewing the area where the public would watch the events.
25Workers are putting in a new lighting system and creating a new visitor center.
26The project is expected to be completed in about three years.
27Separately, the Italian government has decided to provide the ancient Roman theater with high-technology flooring, which is expected to be in place by 2023.
28I'm Caty Weaver.
1"The beating heart of Rome is not the marble of the Senate, it's the sand of the Colosseum," the Roman senator Gracchus said in the 2000 Oscar-winning movie Gladiator. 2The Colosseum is an ancient structure built more than 2000 years ago. The Romans used the huge, rounded building as a performance space. Thousands of people could be seated in the open-air theater to watch a show or public activity. 3Performances included competitions by professional fighters, called gladiators, most of whom were enslaved. They often fought other gladiators but also could face prisoners or dangerous animals, like lions. Executions also took place there. 4The Colosseum is the largest building that the Roman Empire produced. It is also Italy's most popular ancient structure. More than 7.6 million people visited the Colosseum in 2019. 5But its own beating heart is the underground passages and rooms where prisoners, animals and gladiators waited to enter the field above their heads. Now, that underground area, known as the hypogeum, is open to the public after lengthy repairs. 6More than 80 archaeologists, architects and engineers worked on the 15,000 square-meter area for two years. 7Tod's, the Italian clothing company, supported the work. Its chairman, Diego Della Valle said the effort aimed to "bring back to the center of the attention a monument that the whole world loves." 8The theater's balconies used to hold up to 70,000 people who would come to watch the gladiator fights, executions and animal hunts. Before the hypogeum was built, the space could also be filled with water to re-enact sea battles. 9Now a new 160 meter walkway permits visitors to see the hypogeum. 10It is the second part of a three-part process that started eight years ago, with Tod's promise of $30 million to pay for the project. Tod's is also supporting several similar projects in the country. 11"It is...important for relevant companies to make themselves available to the country, understanding what they can do for the country," Della Valle said. 12"This is about important pieces for Italy, monuments that are well-known all over the world," he added. 13The first part of the project included cleaning the outside walls of the Colosseum. That was completed in 2016. The final part includes renewing the area where the public would watch the events. Workers are putting in a new lighting system and creating a new visitor center. The project is expected to be completed in about three years. 14Separately, the Italian government has decided to provide the ancient Roman theater with high-technology flooring, which is expected to be in place by 2023. 15I'm Caty Weaver. 16Reuters news agency reported this story. Caty Weaver adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. 17___________________________________________________________ 18Words in This Story 19marble -n. a kind of stone that is often polished for use in buildings and statues 20sand -n. very small pieces of rock found on beaches and in deserts 21archaeologist -n. a scientists who studies past human life and activities by studying ancient bones, tools, buildings and other products of culture 22architect -n. a professional who designs buildings 23balcony -n. a raised surface that is connected to the side of a building and surrounded by a low wall or rail 24relevant -adj. relating to a subject in an appropriate or useful way